What does JBL have in store for us in 2019? Through their presence at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show, better known as CES 2019, and more than a handful of press releases, JBL has unveiled about half a dozen headphones and more-or-less an equal number of speakers on the public. You can’t help but be impressed with the diversity of product being introduced year after year. Without further ado, let’s take a more in-depth look into the JBL wireless headphones and speakers introduced at CES 2019.

JBL Unveils New Wireless Headphones at CES 2019

Introducing the JBL LIVE Headphone Series

Did JBL ever drop a goody bag on us? Answer: ‘Yes they did.’

The downside, and there is one, is that we’ll have to wait until mid-March to demo (and purchase) these three on- and over-ear models: LIVE400BT, LIVE500BT, and LIVE650BTNC.

Per Michael Mauser, President, Lifestyle Audio Division at HARMAN, “The JBL LIVE Series will disrupt the headphones market. With a massive line of different devices that carry the best features we have to offer, this new generation of headphones still maintain an affordable price point across the board. We can’t wait to introduce this series to our customers and watch their one-of-a-kind music experience with JBL Signature Sound.”

Also included in the lineup are the JBL LIVE 100 and JBL LIVE 200BT in-ear headphones, both of which are already available.

JBL LIVE650BTNC Over-Ear Wireless Headphones

Topping the list of the JBL LIVE Series is the LIVE650BTNC. This pair of headphones sports JBL Signature Sound, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa capability, and active noise-cancelling technology. Priced at just under $200 and with 30 hours of continuous battery capacity with ANC disabled¹. This is the headphone to be on the lookout for when it hits the market this spring.

JBL LIVE500BT Over-Ear Headphones

Next in the JBL LIVE Series comes the LIVE500BT. These headphones lose the active noise-cancelling but gain Ambient Aware and TalkThru technology. “With TalkThru, music temporarily pauses at the touch of a button, lowering speech and amplifying sound to make it easy to chat with a friend without removing the headphones. In Ambient Aware mode, listeners can control the amount of background noise they want to let in, to stay keyed into their surroundings when it’s needed most.” These headphones also boast 50 mm dynamic drivers with a range of 18 Hz – 20 kHz.

JBL LIVE400BT On-Ear Headphones

The LIVE400BT is the little sibling to the LIVE500BT. It has the same features as its big brother but in an on-the-ear headphone design. The driver size is also reduced to 40 mm.

JBL LIVE200BT In-Ear Headphones

The JBL LIVE200BT headphones come in that in-ear with neckband designs that are all the rage nowadays from tens of brands. It sports 10 hours of continuous life with JBL Signature Sound.

JBL LIVE100 In-Ear Headphones

Rounding out the JBL LIVE Series is the JBL LIVE100. These headphones also come with JBL Signature Sound but wired via tangle-free fabric cords.

JBL Goes Truly Wireless with Four New In-Ear Headphones for 2019

The future of headphones is wireless. I didn’t come up with this phrase, but it sure rings true.

In addition to the exciting JBL LIVE Series, the brand is introducing four more wireless in-ear headphones for 2019. Correction, the truth is one of these four models, the JBL Endurance PEAK, has been available for a few months since its debut around the time of IFA 2018.

JBL TUNE120TWS In-Ear Headphones

The JBL TUNE120TWS headphones appear to be a continuation of the JBL Free X model but with much better battery life and a lower initial list price. The TUNE120TWS is available come Spring.

JBL REFLECT FLOW In-Ear Headphones

The JBL REFLECT FLOW headphones are similar in style to the new TUNE120TWS but with a more rounded design. Like the LIVE400BT and LIVE500BT, this in-ear model has TalkThru and Ambient Aware technologies. I for one look forward to trying these out in my noisy and crowded gym as well as during the subway commute into Boston.

JBL ENDURANCE PEAK In-Ear Headphones

The latest in-ear outdoor sports IPX7 rated waterproof headphones from JBL is their ENDURANCE PEAK. This is the 5th model in JBL’s ENDURANCE line, and it’s already received rave reviews since its introduction. At the time of this writing, the ENDURANCE PEAK has received a 4.5 out of 5 rating from the 34 respondents on JBL’s website, so feel free to read their testimonials.

Per the JBL website, “The flexible and secure ear hook design automatically turns the power on/off when putting on or taking off the earphones. These headphones can switch on and off without the need to replace them back in their case every time.”

Should you wish to purchase the JBL ENDURANCE PEAK on Amazon, you can do so here.

What’s In The Box?

UA TRUE Wireless FLASH In-Ear Sport Workout Headphones

The UA TRUE Wireless FLASH headphones close out this category. This joint effort from Under Armour and JBL is designed to take on the most punishing or workouts in stride. Features included are UA STORMPROOF waterproof technology and Bionic Hearing incorporating TalkThru & Ambient Aware.

Per Pascal Van Laer, VP & GM, Headphones and Wearables Business Unit at HARMAN, “We’re excited to introduce Under Armour’s first-ever truly wireless headphone into the sport headphones market. The powerful sound quality from JBL, paired with innovative TalkThru and AmbientAware technologies, creates the perfect headphone for every workout experience.”

Per Brian Pitstick, Director of BD & Strategic Partnerships, UA Digital, “Under Armour’s mission is to make athletes better. To meet the demands of peak performers, we partnered with JBL, a leading sound expert, to develop a cutting edge, truly wireless sport headphone that removes all distractions. This ultra-lightweight, ultra-comfortable cord-free headphone provides the sound experience, locked in fit and water proof design to allow runners to stay focused on the road.”

What’s In The Box?

“The purchase of UA True Wireless FLASH includes a complimentary 12-month MapMyRun® Premium membership, valued at $29.99. MapMyRun is a part of the Under Armour Connected Fitness suite of apps.”

JBL Introduces New Wireless Speakers at CES 2019

Headphones weren’t the only consumer products JBL announced at CES 2019. They unveiled a handful of speakers too, the most important of which are covered below.

Coming Spring 2019: The JBL LINK BAR Soundbar

JBL has had soundbars for some time now. Feel free to check out their JBL BAR lineup. What’s new here is that they’ve added a soundbar to their LINK voice-activated line of speakers. We wrote about the LINK series last year, and we’re glad it continues to grow.

Just say the words “OK Google,” and the soundbar behaves like any other Google Assistant device. With built-in Android TV, Chromecast and Wi-Fi, you could cast audio and video to another Chromecast-compatible device.

Specifications haven’t been fully released, but when they become available, we’ll update this post accordingly so that you’ll have a more complete picture.

We look forward to reading reviews on the LINK BAR when it becomes available this Spring at a price of $399.95.

Per Michael Mauser, President, Lifestyle Audio at HARMAN, “The JBL LINK BAR gives consumers an intuitive way to enjoy an amazing viewing experience, along with powerful, rich sound. We believe in having technology seamlessly integrate with your life, and the LINK BAR is a natural progression of that philosophy.”

Coming Spring 2019: The JBL Flip 5 Bluetooth Portable Speaker

JBL has taken their award-winning and well-rated Flip 4 speaker, re-engineered it with a new acoustic design (which leads to increased highs and deeper bass,) and turned it into the Flip 5 speaker. Like its predecessor the Flip 4, this new speaker continues to have a waterproof design with an IPX7 rating.

Features that continue to grace the Flip line are Siri and Google Now voice assistant integration, the use of durable fabrics, and the echo- and noise-cancelling speakerphone. The JBL Flip 5 is available Spring 2019 for $99.

Per Michael Mauser, President of the Lifestyle Audio Division, HARMAN, “Thanks to its amazing sound, enhanced features and approachable price point, the Flip Series has always been a popular option for consumers, so we’re excited to bring them the next generation with the JBL Flip 5. Similar to some of our other recently announced portable Bluetooth speakers, the Flip 5 will be offered in an on-trend and eye-catching color pallet, including fan favorites such as Dusty Pink, River Teal, and Fiesta Red.”

Available Now: The JBL JR POP Bluetooth Speaker

JBL has introduced a kid-friendly speaker to their ever-expanding product lineup.

Features that grace the JBL JR POP are its use of durable fabrics and completely waterproof design, 5 hours of playtime, a kid-sized hand strap, and a built-in light mode that goes along with the music. Your child can even personalize their JR POP with the included two sticker sets. The JBL JR POP is available now for $29.99. If you’re a parent, this speaker is irresistible.

Per Michael Mauser, President of the Lifestyle Audio Division, HARMAN, “Kids are inspired by music just as much as adults, which is why we wanted to create a portable speaker just for them. The JBL JR POP gives parents’ peace of mind as it is durable and waterproof.”

JBL at CES 2019 Summary

As you can see with these new models, JBL brings a whole lot more Bluetooth technology to both the wireless headphones and wireless speakers markets in 2019.

Do you have any thoughts or comments on either the JBL Bluetooth headphones or speakers 2019 line-up? Let us know in the comment section below or via social media.

When more information becomes available on the products mentioned above, we’ll update this post.

Don’t hesitate to head over to the JBL Latest Products Page to see their newest products. To learn more about warranties, click this link for JBL Help information.

FTC Disclosure: This writer’s opinion is 100% his own and not a product ambassador for Harman or JBL.

All charts and photographs are the copyrighted property of Harman and JBL © 2019. These were all made available in their CES 2019 press releases.